Written by: Rob Drost
Mark 4 v 26-29
Then Jesus said, “The kingdom of God is like someone who plants seed in the ground.
Night and day, whether the person is asleep or awake, the seed still grows, but the person does not know how it grows.
By itself the earth produces grain. First the plant grows, then the ear and then all the grain in the ear.
When the grain is ready, the farmer cuts it, because the harvest time has come.”
Notes
Having recently moved from the farming countryside in Northamptonshire (village of about 35 houses with 80 adults), I am very aware of the need to wait on the seed and the harvest to grow. I am aware that even with all the modern tech stuff that farmers can pour onto seeds and the ground, the seed will still grow in it’s own time.
This passage is the second “seed” of the seed parables, it describes the activity of God amongst us. Like the seed, Gods plan will be fulfilled in God’s time and not altered by anything we do to try and push that plan the way we think it should go! Even though there are set-backs and persecutions, God’s plan can be described as dark and hidden because it is only known to the believer – but there will come a time when all will know the plan.
As believers we have a privileged insight into that plan. As Christians in this world of Gods we are called to be many things but it seems that in this passage we are being asked to be the farmer. The farmer sows the seed – the word of God. The farmer then tends the seed, watering and feeding it to make it grow. The fine balance of this activity is where we are called to be most careful. If we over water the word of God in people’s hearts the seed will not grow. And likewise, if we forget about it the seed will die.
After our hard toil we are asked to act in the power of the Holy Spirit and harvest people for God. They may be the seeds we planted, or we are reaping from others care and nurture. The key is we are the farmer, chosen by God’s plan.
Mark 4 v 30-34
A Story about Mustard Seed
Then Jesus said, “How can I show you what the kingdom of God is like? What story can I use to explain it?
The kingdom of God is like a mustard seed, the smallest seed you plant in the ground.
But when planted, this seed grows and becomes the largest of all garden plants. It produces large branches, and the wild birds can make nests in its shade.”
Jesus used many stories like these to teach the crowd God’s message – as much as they could understand.
He always used stories to teach them. But when he and his followers were alone, Jesus explained everything to them.
Notes
Back in 1993, we bought a flat in South Tottenham, London. It was our first house purchase, we were very excited. It was a good price as the owner was already packed (the previous sale for her had fallen through) and ready to move back to he native home of Jamaica. The flat needed completely redecorating and the back garden – well to use the word ‘garden’ is being very generous!
We were determined to have a vegetable patch and laid out an area at the back of the garden. The ground was rough and my father brought some mustard seed to grow. He explained that despite the size of the seed, the area would soon be covered with growth and this should be dug in to help fertilise the ground. Sure enough – it did all that and we had amazing veggies!
This third “seed” passage moves us on in our agriculture parables but still dealing with the action of God in the here and now, which will see the ‘flowering’ of God’s kingdom on earth. It may seem that using one of the world’s smallest seeds to describe this action is a bit weird, but I know how rampant mustard seeds can be. Also it helps us think about how the strength of the little mustard seed develops into a huge growth – growth that is almost impossible to destroy.
Jesus also tells us of how the mustard seed which is left will grow into a tree where all kinds of birds can nest and find safety. Often we see that in the Bible, ‘birds’ are used to describe ‘Gentiles’ and yet Jesus offers us this picture that when the kingdom comes all ‘birds’ will find a home in the tree, which is symbolic of God’s love for all the world.
Mark 4 v 35-41
That evening, Jesus said to his followers, “Let’s go across the lake.”
Leaving the crowd behind, they took him in the boat just as he was. There were also other boats with them.
A very strong wind came up on the lake. The waves came over the sides and into the boat so that it was already full of water.
Jesus was at the back of the boat, sleeping with his head on a pillow. He followers woke him and said, “Teacher, don’t you care that we are drowning!”
Jesus stood up and commanded the wind and said to the waves, “Quiet! Be still!” Then the wind stopped, and it became completely calm.
Jesus said to his followers, “Why are you afraid? Do you still have no faith?”
The followers were very afraid and asked each other, “Who is this? Even the wind and the waves obey him!”
Notes
I was about 15 when I first went overseas, with the local Scout Group, to Switzerland. We travelled by coach from South Wales to London, changed at Victoria Station, then across the Channel. It was very rough, it was a task to find floor space without people being sick! It is a memory that will stay with me forever!
This is the first of three acts of power Jesus performs. The boat seems quite important, it had been the pulpit from which Jesus taught and now was the way of escaping the questioning crowds. The boat is today a common Christian symbol. Much earlier in history the boat-ark of Genesis had been used as a sign of those who would be saved from the flood. Some thinkers suggest that the boat is almost like an early physical church building – Jesus being there in it brought comfort to his followers.
History shows that storms were often thought to be evil and a hiding place of the devil. So here we have Jesus and his ‘church’ in the middle of the evil sea which is stormy. If you like, the evil ocean trying to swallow up the saviour of the world. In the Old Testament, God is often described as being laid back as though he was asleep. Here we have God (Jesus) asleep, with the devil buffeting the Church (boat) he came to give us.
Jesus wakes up and calms the storm –his disciples are amazed that anyone can calm the devil. I guess we are often in our little boats (Church), feeling buffeted by the devil, it is good to remember that just as Jesus was in the Church (boat), he is with us, his new church. We can call upon him to wake us up to the evil that surrounds us.
Mark 5 v 1-13
Jesus and his followers went to the other side of the lake to the area of the Gerasene people.
When Jesus got out of the boat, instantly a man with an evil spirit came to him from the burial caves.
This man lived in the caves, and no one could tie him up, not even with a chain.
Many times people had used chains to tie the man’s hands and feet, but he always broke them off. No one was strong enough to control him.
Day and night he would wander around the burial caves and on the hills, screaming and cutting himself with stones.
While Jesus was still far away, the man saw him, ran to him and fell down before him.
The man shouted in a loud voice, “What do you want with me, Jesus, Son of the Most High God? I command you in God’s name not to torture me!”
He said this because Jesus was saying to him, “You evil spirit, come out of the man.”
Then Jesus asked him, “What is your name?” He answered, “My name is Legion, because we are many spirits.”
He begged Jesus again and again not to send them out of that area.
A large heard of pigs was feeding on a hill near there.
The demons begged Jesus, “Send us into the pigs; let us go into them.”
So Jesus allowed them to do this. The evil spirits left the man and went into the pigs. Then the herd of pigs – about 2,000 of them – rushed down the hill into the lake and were downed.
Notes
This second act of power happens in a most weird place. Where are you likely not to find Jews – remember Jesus was born, lived and died a Jew! You would not find Jews amongst pigs! So this story is about Jesus going into unclean or Gentile country.
Scripture has many places where people from the edge of the community recognise Jesus for who he is. Often this takes place within earshot of the Temple and Jewish leaders of that time. It is also important that the powers of evil recognise Jesus for who he is and are scared that Jesus will do them harm.
The evil spirits talked to Jesus through the possessed man, begging for the end of their own torture at the hands of the devil. I think it is important that Jesus is claiming Gentile land for the new faith in God – it is like a slow moving body of water, gently taking over scorched and parched land, refreshing it with the living water which is from God.
To use the pigs is mind bending to try and work out what that means – I guess the least likely ‘thing’ a Jew would use, becomes the central act of saving a man from the Devil and placing him in a position to choose to follow God. Some writers even suggest that this man remained in this newly claimed land as a new follower of Jesus, waiting for the Christian followers of the future to help with the task of sharing the gospel of God in a Gentile land.
So the most unlikely people and the most unlikely land are chosen, claimed, changed and used by God.
Mark 5 v 14-20
The herdsmen ran away and went to the town and to the countryside, telling everyone about this. So people went out to see what had happened.
They came to Jesus and saw the man who used to have the many evil spirits, sitting, clothed and in his right mind. And they were frightened.
The people who saw this told the others what had happened to the man who had the demons living in him, and they told about the pigs.
Then the people began to beg Jesus to leave their area.
As Jesus was getting back into the boat, the man who was freed from the demons begged to go with him.
But Jesus would not let him. He said, “Go home to your family and tell them how much the Lord has done for you and how he has had mercy on you.”
So the man left and began to tell the people in the Ten Towns about what Jesus had done for him. And everyone was amazed.
Notes
I confess that I am not a football fanatic and can’t even describe the offside rule! I might have to change this as I have 2 boys (aged 3 & 5)!
It was during an England match that I was outside in our little cul-de-sac street, and all was quiet – no men washing cars or mowing lawns! There was an almighty cheer in multi-stereo from the houses around me – England had scored!
Here we hear about how the healed man’s story is getting around. I get a picture of normal quiet life – milking the goats, threshing the corn, old men talking about the latest gossip and then the herdsman come running in shouting and screaming.
Folks may have thought that some ill occurred (little did they know!!) only to be told that the guy who was chained up was cured – and by the way, we need to diversify away from keeping pigs!
The crowds came to see this news for themselves and they were frightened – not by the cured man but by the man who had done the curing! Why did they ask Jesus to leave? Fear of the unexplainable is scary? Who can be more powerful that the Evil one?
Back to the boat we see Jesus being asked by the new cured follower if he can join the band of Disciples. Interestingly, Jesus asks the man to stay put and to share his story with those who live in the nearby towns. Towns which will know this man, mad and now cured by someone who is more powerful that the Evil one.
Ministering to those who are closest to us – family, friends and neighbours is often hardest, but when you have such an important message, it is impossible to keep it quiet – just like those pig herders
Mark 5 v 21-29
When Jesus went in the boat back to the other side of the lake, a large crowd gathered around him there.
A leader of the synagogue, named Jairus, came there, saw Jesus and fell at his feet.
He begged Jesus, saying again and again, “My daughter is dying. Please come and put your hands on her so she will be healed and will live.”
So Jesus went with him. A large crowd followed Jesus and pushed very close around him.
Among them was a woman who had been bleeding for twelve years.
She had suffered very much from many doctors and had spent all the money she had, but instead of improving, she was getting worse.
When the woman heard about Jesus, she came up behind him in the crowd and touch his coat.
She thought, “If I can just touch his clothes, I will be healed.”
Instantly her bleeding stopped, and she felt in her body that she was healed from her disease.
Notes
The third act of power has a double healing and this is proceeded with the symbolic act of using the boat, think of this as floating church, that attracted so many people to come and listen to him. It seams that 12 is the ‘magic’ number. Jairus’s daughter is reported to have been 12 years old, the women who was bleeding had been ill with this haemorrhage was in her twelfth year of illness and the number of Tribes in Israel is 12. It is these 12 tribes that Jews were waiting for a Messiah to come and help.
Interestingly, the little jibe at the doctors of the day is similar to a ‘knock, knock’ joke of modern times. Doctors were often criticised for not coming up with the healing whilst being happy to empty their patients purses. The woman was in double trouble. The Law of Moses meant that anyone who had a loss of blood was unclean and so not allowed to worship in the Temple AND this meant her illness made her physically and spiritually low.
The miracle is not that she was cured but that her faith in God through Jesus was real. To be healed or saved does not mean to retain physical life; it means to find fullness of life, its meaning and its direction in God.
The child is also desperately ill and her death forces Jairus to believe in the power of Jesus over death. She only seems dead; she is in a deep sleep. At Jesus’ word the child ‘got up’. Original script uses the same word to describe Jesus’ own resurrection – it is a new start to a new life.
Mark 5 v 30-34
At once Jesus felt power go out from him. So he turned around in the crowd and asked, “Who touched my clothes?”
His followers said, “Look at how many people are pushing against you! And you ask, ‘Who touched me?’”
But Jesus continued looking around to see who had touched him.
The woman, knowing that she was healed, came and fell at Jesus’ feet. Shaking with fear, she told him the whole truth.
Jesus said to her, “Dear woman, you are made well because you believed. Go in peace; be healed of your disease.”
Notes
I remember being told in a past job that the work may seem very busy at the moment, but it will calm down – it never did. The commotion and speed of ministry is, at times, too much.
The healing of the woman and Jairus’ daughter yesterday reminds us that often we see Jesus being thrown into very busy situations and yet often in these situations words of power and action gently push out into the bustle.
Imagine, and I hate to do this as a parent, that a child is dying. Family, friends and neighbours are roaming around trying to be helpful but are caught up with the impossible and heart wrenching view of a child in pain. Many of the funerals I have conducted, I see the Family holding it together and it is the other mourners who are wailing because they feel some level of pain that the family have not had time to express.
I am sure that this was the case – absolute tumult and commotion. And yet within this noise Jesus’ quiet voice of hearing whispers out words of comfort to both the girl and the women.
This final act of power faces us the readers with the question: Do you believe that in the midst of life’s tumult and commotion there is the possibility of peace and the possibility that death will only be as sleep with the voice of the Saviour waking us up? Who is victor: evil or Jesus?
word-on-the-web uses the Scripture text taken from the Youth Bible, New Century Version
(Anglicised Edition) copyright 1993 by Word Publishing Milton Keynes